Fallout from cancelled Apple Store

A Queensland state court recently ordered Apple to continue to pay for its share of construction in the historic MacArthur Chambers building in Brisbane, Australia, say ifoAppleStore sources. Apple was at one point working on a store in the location, but cancelled it without explanation. The construction work is needed so that the space is in fit condition to be leased out to another tenant.

The sources add that within days of the court ruling, Apple began accepting bids from contractors wanting to work on the project. Currently, only half of the interior work is completed. The building has had a troubled history; the structure dates back to 1934, and a renovation effort began in mid-2011, but this was interrupted when contractor Kell & Rigby declared bankruptcy in early 2012.

Work restarted a few months later, but shut down a second time in November when Apple abandoned its plans. The company isn't known for dropping retail construction; normally it researches locations in detail before selecting them, and in some cases it has spent substantial amounts of money renovating buildings, whether for its own needs, city demands, or to preserve classic architecture.

by MacNN Staff